A. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to slip covers and cushions such as are used on seats, chairs, furniture arms and seat backs, and wheelchairs, and in particular, an apparatus and method to prevent slippage of the slip cover or cushion relative to the furniture.
B. Problems in the Art
Seat cushions for wood, rattan, wicker, vinyl, or metal chair seats, and arm or head slip covers for chair and couch arms and seat backs have long been used with respect to furniture for purposes of comfort and to prolong the life of fabric. In both cases, slippage of the cushion or slip cover relative to the furniture has been a problem. Generally the fabric or other covering for seat cushions rather easily slips or slides on a smooth wood, metal, or other relatively smooth seat. Fabric-on-fabric armchair or seat back slip covers also tend to slide or slip relative to one another. This is true even if the fabrics are identical. Other methods have been used.
Various attempts to secure the cushions or slip covers to the furniture have been attempted. Strings or ties have been sewn or secured to cushions to tie the cushions to chairs. Pins or similar devices which stick through fabric of both the slip cover and furniture or fabric have been used to secure slip covers.
Seat slip covers tied to chairs still slide even on smooth chair surface. Breakage of the ties is not uncommon. The sliding and movement of a seat cushion, even when tied, causes accelerated wear on the seat cushion. The use of pins to secure slip covers to fabric furniture arms and backs anchors only certain points of the slip cover and does not anchor the entire surface of the slip cover. Pins can poke and even injure users of the furniture, can fall out, and can damage or even rip fabric.
In either the case of the ties or the pins, removal or mounting of the cushion or slip cover takes some time. It also is not very convenient when removing the cushion or slip cover for cleaning. Permanent securement of the cushion or slip cover has obvious disadvantages.
There have been attempts to provide non-slip cushions or materials. Examples are as follows.
Dehondt U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,278, is entitled "Non-slip Cushion" and provides a cushion tied to a highchair. A rubbery polymeric material is deposited on a scrim fabric to attempt to prevent an infant sitting on the cushion in the highchair from sliding forward.
Gilbin U.S. Pat. No. 5,015,037 discloses a high chair with a non-slip seat made of a solid, rubbery material.
Quinn U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,852, is entitled "Transportable Chair Pad" and has a bottom, non-clickable ester urethane foam layer that has a high coefficient of friction to keep the pad from slipping on the chair seat.
Katabe, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,515,852 describes a leather-like sheet material having low-slip characteristics and gives as examples use for balls, baseball gloves, bags, cases, and the like which are required to prevent slipperiness.
Clarke U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,032 discloses a seat cushion having a flexible resilience synthetic plastic foam having a high coefficient of friction to attempt to keep it in place on the car seat.
Van Patter U.S. Pat. No. 2,298,664 describes a non-slip grit material.
Charbonneau U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,914,402 and 1,985,203 describe an anti-slip product and method of making the same for such things as preventing slippage of a rug on the floor or supporting a rug, mat, desk pad, telephone or the like.
The foregoing patents either utilize some sort of rubberized coating on an underlying fabric base or some sort of coating secured directly to the slip cover or cushion to attempt to deter slippage of an item relative to another item. None of these patents, or any other prior art known to the applicants, specifically addresses the problem of deterring slippage of a fabric, seat cushion or furniture chair or seat back slip cover relative to the chair or furniture which does not require manual securement, assists in non-slippage across the whole interface of cushion or slip cover to furniture, is thin, non-complex in structure, and provides a good seat surface to fabric or fabric-to-fabric non-slip relationship.
It is therefore a principle object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method which solves the problems in the art or improves upon the problems in the art.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method which is completely independent of the furniture or the cushion or slip cover and does not require adhesives, ties or any other securement devices to keep it in place in normal circumstances.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method which is economical and durable, can be used inside or outside, and can be adopted to a variety of different sizes and shapes.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method which prolong the life of seat cushions and arm or head slip covers for furniture.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method which prevents moisture or humidity build-up and allows passage of air to deter permanent marks or other deposits or buildup on the furniture.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method which is relatively thin so that there is no significant increase in height in the cushion or slip cover.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method which prevents slippage between a cloth or fabric cushion or slip cover and a chair seat or a cloth or fabric furniture arm or seat back.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method which is easily and quickly removeable and insertable, and easily cleanable.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent with reference to the accompanying specification and claims.